Ezekiel Elliott leaving the country during suspension

Ezekiel Elliott’s immediate future is now clear: He’ll be out at least four, and as many as six, of the Dallas Cowboys’ upcoming games due to suspension. Sunday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport indicated that Elliott will be following in the footsteps of everyone from Ernest Hemingway to Kobe Bryant and going abroad.

Now officially suspended, #Cowboys RB Zeke Elliott is leaving the country for an undisclosed location to clear his head & train, sources say

On one hand, you can see why Elliott might want to “clear his head” given the constant, intense scrutiny of his every move. On the other, much as he might want to be around, suspended players can’t be on the sideline or train with the team. As with everything else involving Dallas, Elliott’s flight abroad will get dissected from every possible angle.

Dallas, meanwhile, has a challenge ahead. Its opponents while Elliott is playing tourist include the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons, top-ranked Philadelphia Eagles and potentially dangerous Los Angeles Chargers, Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins. (The slate also includes the New York Giants, but there’s little challenge there.) Elliott will return to Dallas shortly before the playoffs, and it’ll be up to Dallas to ensure it’s still in position for a postseason slot.